REVIEW OF INSURGENCY PROBLEMS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00472A001100050018-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 25, 2006
• Sequence Number: 18
• Publication Date: December 21, 1965
• Content Type: IM

R
STATES OF ~
INTELLIGENCE MEMC~~2.ANDtJM
This publication prQVides aperiodic.review;o~ internal
security. in underdeveloped countries where `there is
a hreat from Communist-supported insurgency.
I)IREC'I'ORATE ~JF INTELLIGENCE
State' Department: review completed
Approv
'GRQUP 1
Excluded from- automatic
oOdp~rnArodin9 and
e saification
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This Document contains information affecting the Na-
tional Defense of the United States, within the mean-
ing of Title 18, Sections 798 and 794, of the U.S. Code, as
amended. Its transmission or revelation of its contents
to or receipt by an unauthorized person is prohibited
by law. The reproduction of this form is prohibited.
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REVIEW OF IN5URGEI~iTCY PROBLEMS
This publication provides a periodic review of internal
security in -underdeveloped countries where there is
a threat from Communist-supported insurgency.
Page
Thailand. 1
British Guiana. . ... 2
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OCI No. 0594/65
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
Office of Current Intelligence
21 December 1965
INTELLIGENCE MEMORANDUM
Review of Insurgency Problems
1. Thailand
Communist subversives in northeast Thailand
may soon be getting outside support for increased
activity.
So far, Communist armed activity in the north-
east has been confined to terrorist assassinations.
The several skirmishes which have occurred in the
northeast this year have resulted from government
operations.
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2. British Guiana
It is highly unlikely that a coup will be
attempted against the Burnham government in the near
future. Most politically minded elements in British
Guiana are preoccupied with the c;olony's coming inde-
pendence, now sc:heduled for 26 May 1966. The pro-
communist People's Progressive Party (PPP) has been
unable to make up its mind whether to use violent.
or pacific means to attempt a return to power. Its
halfhearted efforts to use violence to delay inde-
pendence so far have not amounted to much. It is
possible that the party may decide to count on the
numerical superiority of its East Indian supporters
to vote it back into office in the 1968 elections.
The PPP may elect to indulge in ani{i-government
d~~zmonstrations and to continue its hit-and-run
sabotage and arson attacks, but it is unlikely to
attempt a major assault, if at all, until after
October 1966 when the British troops are scheduled
to depart. If the new Guyana Defense Farce and
the police service do not receive sufficient new
rP~.ruits and training to enable them to take over from
the British, the pt:r.io~, after October 1966 could
pose a security hazard. The military (both native
and British) is solidly behind the re ime and is
dedicated to its preservation,
3. Colombia
A full-scale battle began on 17 December
between the army's specially trained anti-guerrilla
forces and the combined gangs of Communists Tiro
Fijo and Ciro Castano. The guerrillas have been
forced out of their mo~.zntain stronghold of Rio
Chiquito and reportedly are flee~.ng northeastward
into the state of Tolima.
About 100 guerrillas are moving through
southern Tot=im~~, stealing cattle and food as they
go. The district commander has curtailed Christmas
leaves for his personnel and established a curfew.
The US ambassador and other embassy officials
may be targets of kidnaping attempts between now and
31 January, according to the minister of war. The
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Army of National Liberation (ELN) is planning the
kidnapings as well as raids on small towns and a
series of bombings, the minister told the ambassador,
and may launch a concerted terrorist attack on
Christmas Eve. The ELN, formed around a cadre trained
in Cuba, has done nothing spectacular since it raided
the small villa e of Simacota on 7 January 1965.
4. Guatemala
ie
Peralta regime has been seriously weakened by general
popular dismay over the continuance of Communist
terrorism, military criticism of Peralta's indecision
in a time of crisis, and outrage over what the poli-
ticians view as the regime's intent to rig the March
elections.
Kidnapings--four
in less than a month--perpetrated by the Communist
Party's action arm and Yon Sosa's Communist-leaning
13 November Movement have proved lucrative to these
guerrilla-terrorist organizations, which already
have collected $50,000 in ransom. The inability
of security forces.to -cope with this threat or with
sporadic sabotage and assassination of government
informants has generated public disquiet. There
is widespread and exaggerated suspicion that the
government is riddled with Communists.
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The death of another top-ranking leader of
the Movement of the Revolutionary Left (MIR) may
spell the end of serious guerrilla activities in
Peru, at least for many months. It has been confirmed
that Guillermo Lobaton and five other guerrillas
were killed in a battle with government forces on
13 December. Lobaton commanded tkze MIR guerrilla
band in central Peru, the MIR's only remaining active
unit since army troops decimated its southern organ-
ization last Gctobe~.
The MIR does Have a guerrilla band in northern
Peru and has also been tying to organize an urban
terrorist militia in pima. Both of these groups, how-
ever, have shown little or no ca abilit to conduct
insurgent actions.
Army and civil guard police troops are presently
conducting a search operation for suspected guerrilla
groups in the Ayacucho area. Army guerrillas in this
area probably belong to the Army of National Liberation
(ELN), a Cuban-trained group of 30 to 40 who 'Dined
the MIR several months a o.
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A US country team report of l3 December,
which the ambassador regarded on 16 December as still
'valid, discounted rumor?s of an imminent military coup
tYtat are currently circulating in Caracas. The country
team pointed out that tYne general political and economic
situation is such that: an attempted coup-would probaY~ly
fail to generate popular support and that the ingredients
of an explosive situation are clearly-absent.
President Leotii concurred in the embassy's
assessment in a conversation with the ambassador on
17 December. He stated there is no real basis for
a coup and does not consider there is enough support
within the military to start one. He stressed that
if one were started it would definitely fail, but
the process of defeating it would be "civil war."
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